Refrigerating display case



M. G. VALADE 2,150,195

REFRIGERATVI NG DI SPLAY CAS E Y March 14, 1939.

Filed Deo. 19, 1956 Snventor 7762/60//77 Q /a o/e,

Bg www (ttornegs Patented Mar. 14, 1939 Y s UNITED STATES A v l 2,150,195

PATENT oFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an insulating display case or cabinet and an object is to provide such a case with means whereby both front and rear sides having glass panels may be opened to provide ventilation and to give easy access tov the inner surface of the glass, particularly the glass panel at the front side of the cabinet. A further obj ect is to provide means whereby the front panel may be swung outwardly and locked in, that i0 position by means extending through the rear' side of the cabinet and which means is so arranged as to lock the front panel in closed position by a manipulation of said means at the rear side of the cabinet. It is also an object of the invention to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction, arrangement and combinatio-n of parts, all as hereafter more fully described,

reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a case or cabinet illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention and showing the front panel in open position, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the cabinet.

While the case or cabinet may be made up in different forms and sizes, the cabinet shown in the accompanying drawing is of substantially rectangular form to set upon Ithe4 floor and this n cabinet I is shown provided with a lower chamber 2 which may be used for any suitable purpose as for the storage of materials for refrigerating means, not shown. The cabinet is provided with a transverse wall 3 above which is located cooling coils 4 and above these cooling coils, isy a removable bottom or shelf 5 for the support and display of merchandise. The space within the cabinet above the shelf 5 may be of any desired form in cross section, but as shown, the side walls thereof, are both inclined inwardly or toward each i other and within the rear wall 6 is an opening closed by sliding glass panels 1, and in the front Wall 9 is an opening which is closed by a front panel 9, this panel having parallel spaced apart panes of glass I@ and which panel is preferably hinged as at I I along its lower edge to the wall of the cabinet to swing into and out o-f the opening in the wall 8. The marginal edgesof the closure or panel 9 are formed in any suitable manner to form a tight joint with the wall of the cabinet when the panel is closed, suitable backing means, not shown, being provided between the marginal edges of the panel and the margin of the opening to receive the panel.

Within the very top of the display chamber I2 (Cl. .21g-139) above the shelf 5 and between the doors 'I and the panel 9, is located a second set I3 of cooling coils. with a drip pan I4 below these coils.

To facilitate the swinging of the panel 9 to open position, a long link I5 is pivotally supported at I5 upon the wall 8 just above the opening for the panel 9 and to the lower endv of this link I5 is pivotally attached as at I'I a short link I8, the opposite end of which short link is pivotally attached as at I9to the inner side o-f the swinging panel 9 at a distance abo-ve its hinge connection l I to the wall of the cabinet. The third link 20 is pivotally connected to the first and second links by means of the pivot I 'I and the rear end of this third link, is pivotally connected as at 2| to the forward end of a short push bar 22 which is mounted for sliding movement longitudinally, within a guide bushing 23 mounted within the vertical rear wall of the cabinet above and adjacent to the shelf 5 with this guide extending through the wall. To the rear end of the push bar 22, is pivotally attached as at 24, a long push bar 25 which is preferably provided with a handle 26 at its free end, this long push bar being free to swing downwardly when the short bar 22 is in its rearmost position and* has exerted a pull upon the links I5 and I8 to swingA the panel 9 to firmly closed position. The downward swinging movement of the long bar 25 against the end o-f the guide 23 therefore locks the short push bar 22 against movement with the panel 9 in locked position. To swing the panel 9 outwardly into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, it is only necessary for the man standing behind the cabinet, to swing the bar 25 upwardly and then shove longitudinally thereon, thus applying force through the linkage to swing the panel outwardly to open position without the necessity for going to the front of the case and when this panel is in fully open position, the links 5 and I8 will be in alinement and form a firm brace to hold the panel in open position or in the position to permit a circulation through the display chamber I 2 when the rear doors I are opened, and also to give access to the inner surface of the glass' carried by the panel 9 so that it may be cleaned with facility and without the necessity for removing any of the goods displayed upon the shelf 5 within the chamber I2. Closing of the panel 9 is quickly accomp-lished by pulling upon the handle end.' of the push bar 25, withdrawing it, and thus through the linkage connection with the panel, swinging the panel to closed position, in which position it may be quickly locked by simply dropping the push bar 25 so that it will hang down- Wardly from the projecting end of the bar 22 where it will be lentirely out of the Way.

As usually constructed, cabinets of this class are formed with a fixed glass panel or panels in its forward side wall and therefore in order to clean the inner surface of the glass it is necessary to reach through the door opening in the rear wall and across the display chamber in order to clean the glass, and in many instances it would be absolutely necessary to remove theecontents of the display chamber in ordernot to contain.- inate this merchandise. With the present construction where a hinged panel is provided as* a closure for an opening in the front wall of' the cabinet, this panel or closure may beswung outwardly to gain access to the inner surface of the glass carried thereby and therefore it is unnecessary to remove the merchandise from the charnber i2 and the opening of the panel alsoprovides for the circulation of air through the chamber when the rear door or doors 'l are opened-and therefore a thorough efficient cleaning ofz the glass panels and aerating of thendisplayA chambermay be effected with facility. Also by providing the y push bar arrangement andflinkage connecting the bar andthe swinging panel, the panel may ibe swung to open position at any time by manipulating the push bar at the rear, side of the cabinet` and this push bar arrangement. also provides va Y lock for holding the panel in closed position.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

A display case or cabinet having front and rear side walls, with the upper portion of said front wall inclined rearwardly and provided with an opening, said cabinet forming a display cham,- ber Within the upper part thereof between said front and rear walls, a panel adapted to tightly close the opening in the front inclined wall of the cabinet, means for hingedly connecting the lower edge of said panel with the frontrwall of the cabinet for outward swinging movement, a pair of links pivotally connected together at their adjacent ends,.with the opposite ends pivotally connected, one to the inclined front wall of the cabinet adjacent the upper edge of the opening therein and the other pivotally connected at its outer end to the inner side of the panel at a distance upwardly from its hinge support, a guide member mounted within an opening inthe rear wall of the cabinet and extending therethrough, a short push bar slidable within said guide member, a long link pivotally connected at one end tothe inner endof said short push bar andat its opposite end tothe pivot connecting said links, andra long push bar pivotally connected to. the outer projectingtend of said short 'push bar and provided with a-handle at its free end, the pivotal connection of saidl long bar with the Vouter end of said short bar being such as' toi permit said long bar to swing downwardly against the endA of saidv guide member and locksaid short bar and links againstmovement and said panely in, closed-position.

MALCOLM G. VALADE; 

